| Worthy of the Sacrifice |
Rev. Andrew Paton |
If you saw the movie Saving Private Ryan you might have been as
haunted as I was by the dying words of the captain who led the mission to
rescue a soldier who's family had already lost his brothers in the battle
to free the world from tyranny.
"Be worthy of all this" he said, for the
freedom of that young man had cost the lives of other G.I.s.
The words
provide the link to how the film begins and ends. Producer Speilberg
shows a visit to a cemetery in Normandy where years later an aging Mr.
Ryan brings his family to pay respect to the men who gave him a chance at
life.
He's troubled at the thought of not living worthy enough to match such sacrifice.
That theme came back to mind when I turned last week to Senator
John McCain's new book "Why Courage Matters." He remarked: "I have spent
time in the company of heroes." and "I was raised on tales of surpassing
courage and devotion to duty."
In the Decorah Cemetery of the Indian Reservation, Ho Chunk Mission
outside Black River Falls, Wisconsin lies the body of Mitchell Red Cloud.
McCain tells how one day a businessman stood there silently weeping as
his two sons watched. Red Cloud had saved his life one terrible night in
Korea.
The numerical strength and the will to fight of the Chinese army
had been dreadfully underestimated by the American generals. Thus it was
that Pete Salter found himself dug in, cold, hungry and under-equipped as
the Red hoard crept up on them in the darkness.
A seasoned warrior who, having served in the marine corps in WW2,
Red Cloud reinlisted in the US Army. Many of the young recruits admired and imitated him. His officers often sought out his advice. His final night on hill # 123 near Chonghyon, earned him our highest commendation.
Its citation reads: "The President of the United States takes pleasure in
presenting the Medal of Honor to Red Cloud Mitchell Jr."
Here's the official description of his actions:
"From his position on the point of a
ridge immediately in front of the company command post he was first to
detect the approach of the Chinese Communist forces and give the alarm as
the enemy charged. Springing up he delivered devastating pointblank
automatic rifle fire. His accurate and intense fire checked this assault
and gained time for the company to consolidate its defense. With utter
fearlessness he maintained his firing position until severely wounded.
Refusing assistance he pulled himself to his feet and wrapping his arm
around a tree continued his deadly fire again, until he was fatally
wounded. This heroic act stopped the enemy from overrunning his company's
position and gained time for reorganization and evacuation of the
wounded. Cpl. Red Cloud's dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice
reflects the highest credit upon himself and upholds the esteemed
traditions of the U.S. Army."
As Red Cloud fought the determined enemy Pete Salter was among the
comrades he covered as they escaped from the hill. When his time came to
die Pete was troubled by the concern: "Have I lived up to the sacrifice
made on my behalf?"
He understood the size of the debt he owed.
Pete had
come home from the war, worked hard, raised a family and contributed to
his community. His son Mark and John McCain have worked together
producing inspirational books that have touched many of us.
A song at our church says: "He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a
debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I
sing a brand new song, amazing grace, Christ Jesus paid a debt that I
could never pay."
It speaks of a battle that raged on a hill just outside
the walls of old Jerusalem. Divine Holiness and Satanic evil faced off.
There a young Man upon a dead tree poured out love and grace that I might escape the consequences of my own misdeeds. Can you wonder that I am now impelled to live worthy of that sacrifice?
He died for you too!
New Jersey sales rep Todd Beamer was one of the first to
sacrifice
his life in our war on terror.
|
